January 19th - This Date in Wine History

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Wine has a long established history of being our drink of choice for celebrating, entertaining, and savoring life; but it didn't start out that way. From the invention of the barrel to the designation of the separate viticultural areas, wine has a long and sorted history.  In our daily feature "This Date In Wine History," we share an event of critical importance in wine history.

  • Byzantine Emperor, Michael III was born in 840.  Known as The Drunkard, he was assassinated while sleeping after a drinking bout.
  • Jean-Baptiste Troppmann was executed in 1870.  He poisoned his counterfeiting partner with wine and prussic acid.  He later killed the family of his partner-in-crime.
  • Alexander Woollcott, drama critic, essayist, playwright, editor, actor, radio personality and member of the Algonquin Round Table was born in 1887.   He starred in the play, “Wine of Choice” at the Guild Theater (now the August Wilson Theater).
  • Spain's Monterrei was designated in 1996.